OCC Ventures

OCC Ventures

Backs University of Edinburgh associated companies through OCC Ventures with seed and Series A co-investment.

OCC Ventures is the seed-to-Series A equity investment arm of Old College Capital (OCC), the University of Edinburgh's venture fund managed through Edinburgh Innovations. The program backs ambitious founders and technologies emerging from across the University of Edinburgh, with a stated mission of enabling positive impact at scale. OCC Ventures operates on a rolling, continuous basis with no fixed application rounds or deadlines, and makes 5 to 10 new investments per year.

First investments range from £150,000 to £350,000, and OCC Ventures participates at 10–30% of the round, following a co-investment model that requires a lead investor to already be in place. Eligible companies must have an appropriate association to the University of Edinburgh, a lead investment partner committed, a funding round within OCC's typical range, and a detailed business plan submitted. OCC does not charge arrangement, research, or ongoing monitoring fees on invested funds. Only for-profit entities qualify; nonprofits, universities, and individuals are ineligible.

OCC Ventures takes a long-term, supportive position and applies rigorous, transparent assessment criteria. The team manages positions holistically alongside shareholdings received via the OCC Equity (founding-share) vehicle held in OCC Holdings Ltd. Interested companies should contact investment@ei.ed.ac.uk with their business plan and evidence of a lead investor. No formal competitive pitching window is required — applications are assessed on a rolling basis by the OCC investment team.